Clip for holding spectacles or the like



April 28, 1959 A. Dr-GLOVER v CLIP FOR HOLDING SPEC'IIIACLES OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. D. GLOVER 2,884,219

CLIP FOR HOLDING SPECTACLES a- THE LIKE 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 April 23, 1959 Filed Jan. 24, 1955 'INVENTOR. ANTHONY D- GLOVEE BY ATToPA/JDZ CLIP FOR HOLDING SPECTACLES OR THE LIKE Anthony D. Glover, Austin, Tex.

Application January 24, 1955, Serial No. 483,550

4 Claims. (Cl. 248305).

This invention relates to holder means for spectacles and the like and has particular reference to a new and improved holder means for supporting the spectacles for display or in an opticians dispensing cabinet or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a holding means for spectacles or the like which is relatively simple and economical in construction and assembly yet efficient in operation.

Another object is to provide a holding means of the type set forth which may be formed with a minimum number of parts and may be formed of molded plastic or resin parts thereby reducing the cost of manufacture while enhancing the appearance of the device.

Another object is to provide a holding means of the type set forth which requires a minimum amount of space and therefore allows the use of a maximum number of holding members in an opticians dispensing cabinet or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, as the preferred form has been given by way of illustration only.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display device for spectacles and employing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an end view thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a top or front view of an opticians dispensing cabinet or display device arranged for the support or display of a plurality of spectacles.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, the device shown embodying the invention comprises a base or support on which is supported the spectacles 11 by means of the holding device designated generally at 12. The holding device comprises a base member 13 having an upright flange 14 adjacent one end thereof and having oppositely disposed slotlike recesses 15 adjacent its opposite end as well as the central aperture 16. The base member 13 is also provided with an aperture on which may be positioned the securing screw or the like 17 for securing the holding member on the base 10.

The clip or clamping member 18 is of substantially inverted U shape and has the inwardly extending projections 19 adapted to extend into the recesses 15 in the base 13 to pivotally mount the clip or clamp on the base 13.

It will be immediately apparent that recesses 15 being open at one end, assembly of the device does not require deformation of the legs of clamping member 18 and that the projections 19 will be held in slots 15 by base member 13 closing the open ends of recesses 15. Projections nited States Patent 0 19, moreover, fit loosely in recesses 15 so that they are free to move in the recesses.

In order to urge the clip or clamp 18 into clamping engagement, a spring or resilient member is provided which has the coils 20 positioned within aperture 16 and has its free ends 21 extending between base 13 and support 10 and has a looped portion 22 between the coils 20 and this portion 22 extends upwardly and engages clip 18 and tends to pivot clip 18 toward flange 14.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, a plurality of holding members are shown in separate rows or aligned relation in an opticians dispensing cabinet or display 20a with each of the holding members 12 adapted to support a spectacle frame in the manner previously described.

This arrangement provides a compact and eflicient means for supporting the frames while providing an ornamental display thereof.

In use, the clip 18 is pivoted about base 13 in a direction away from flange 14 and the spectacle is then placed on the base 13 with its bridge overlying the base and in engagement with flange 14 and with the temples on the underside of the spectacle.

The clip 18 is then released and the resiliency of the coils causes the loop 22 of the spring to pivot clip 18 into engagement with the upper surface of the spectacle bridge to retain the spectacles in clamped relation on the holder.

It is pointed out that if the clip 18 is made of a transparent plastic material, the entire spectacle, including the bridge, may be viewed without the necessity of moving the clip while the spectacle is retained in clamped position.

It is pointed out that the flange 14 could be formed integral with and project from the clamping member 18 rather than from base 13. Such an arrangement would have the advantage that the lower end of flange 14 could be attached to or locked to the base to prevent removal of the spectacle frame 11 when on public display and in the event of a semi-permanent fastening of this kind, the spring 21, 22 could be eliminated.

It is also pointed out that the clip or clamping member 18 could be formed as part of or integral with base 13 and the whole member made of a flexible material and in this case, the spring 21 could also be eliminated.

Also, if desired, spring arm 22 could be lengthened, enlarged and shaped in a manner such that it would also perform the function of the clip or clamping member 18. Also, instead of using a double coil type spring, as shown, two single coil springs could be used with each spring having two arms with the lower arm 21 of the left spring extending into the left side of the base and the upper arm of the left spring extending into the left side of the clamping member 18, and the right spring could be similarly attached to the right side of the base and the clamping member 18 and the two springs so fastened would eliminate the necessity of the present slot pivot arrangement 15 and 19 and the aperture or cavity 16. This two spring principle can also be accomplished by a single spring from ribbon, strip or band spring steel with one end attached to the base 10 and the other to the clamping member 18.

It is further pointed out that the base 13 can be made as a separate unit for each clip or as a multiple unit for accommodation of a plurality of clamping members 18 for holding a plurality of spectacle frames 11. It will be noted that the shapes and dimensions of the base 13, flange 14 and the clip or clamping member 18 is determined by the style of spectacle frames popular at the present time and it is, of course, apparent that these frames and dimensions could be altered, as frame styles change. Also, the shapes and dimensions of these parts could be altered to accommodate other objects.

it will also be noted that ifwthe cabinet or display 20a is formed of a plastic material that after a row of contiguous holding devices 12 are secured to the base as by screws or the like, a drop of plastic solvent may be applied between each of the holding devices, which solvent welds all of the bases together into one single part and the principal advantage of this welding together is that in the event the attaching screw strips the threads in the base or otherwise fails to hold an individual device to the base, that the weld at either end of the individual holding device will securely hold it in place. Also, the welding of the joints prevents the holding device from rotating about the securing screw.

It is pointed out that the panels or tiles 10 or 20a may be mounted on. the wall of his office by an optician and spectacle frames inserted in the holding device and are, therefore, prominently displayed to customers and that with the panel being, for example, three. times as large as the: tile horizontally and five times as large vertically that because of this modular coordination, all sorts of display designs to suit the optician can be arranged.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided new and improved means for obtaining all of the objects and advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. A holder for spectacles or the like comprising a base member adapted to be secured to a support, said base member having an upright flange adjacent one end, and, adjacent the other end, an aperture therethrough, and a pair of recesses extending from each side generally toward said aperture; and a clip member provided with inwardly extending projections adapted to engage said recesses to pivot said clip member on said base, and a spring member including a coil portion in said aperture in said base, and having its opposite ends in engagement 4 with said base and said clip member to bias said clip member toward said base, said clip member being of a length such that it engages said upright flange.

2. The holder for spectacles as recited in claim 1 in which said recesses in said base member are formed as slots open toward the face of the base member remote from said upright flange whereby said inwardly extending projections may be readily introduced into said recesses and when said base member is secured to a support said inwardly extending projections are locked in said recesses.

3. The holder for spectacles as recited in claim 1 in which said base member and said clip member are each molded of transparent plastic material.

4. The holder for spectacles as recited in claim 1 in which said clip member is curved toward said upright flange.

References. Cited. in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 268,454 Breiderstein Dec. 5, 1882 675,925 Blair June 11, 1901 777,823 Webster et a1. Dec. 23, 1904 1,766,787 Kendrick June 24, 1930 2,324,310 McGovern July 13, 1943 2,534,989 Raddle Dec. 19, 1950 2,579,954 ONeil Dec. 25, 1951 2,734,222 Kiba Feb. 14, 1956 2,766,465 Radzik Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,712 Denmark Feb. 16, 1931 160,532 Great Britain Mar. 21, 1921 642,314 France May 5, 1928 

